Compound exercises or isolated exercises? This remains a disputed question among strength athletes. While isolated exercises train certain muscles individually, compound exercises apply more muscle groups and parts simultaneously. But then, what should you include in your training plan? Surely there is no single correct answer. With isolated exercises, you can specifically treat problem areas or work on certain muscle details. However, as a basis for strength training, compound exercises are recommended.
1.Squat
The squat is the king of exercises, being possibly the best leg exercise that exists and one of the most complex. It works all the muscles of the lower body, and it has been shown that they are key when it comes to releasing anabolic hormones.
How we position our back when doing squats will influence the muscles exercised to a greater or lesser degree. At the biomechanical level, they vary a lot, since squats with the bar in a high position change the axis of gravity a lot towards the center, keeping the trunk more vertical, increasing the distance of the knees concerning said axis. Which, in short, means that the quadriceps are better worked.
With the squat in a low position, however, the torso is inclined more, increasing the range of motion in the hips and increasing the tension in the glutes. The quads are less worked, but by maintaining a more compact position overall, more weight is lifted.
2.Bench press
probably one of the most popular exercises is the bench press. Not surprisingly, it gives that attractive summer body: strong arms, shoulders, and pectorals.
Important: When performing this exercise, you must raise the long bar above your throat to ensure a secure grip on it. The thumbs should be placed around the bar and not next to the rest of the fingers on the bar.
The problem of positioning the bar securely after exercise does not have to be such a problem. With a rack that you can place next to you, it will be straightforward.
3.Shoulder press
The shoulder press is the basic upper body exercise for everyone who wants to have broad shoulders. With this exercise, you should raise the bar above your head while standing. Contrary to what the name may indicate, it is not only the shoulders that are trained. The entire upper body must be involved to stabilize the bar and maintain the weight. When performing shoulder presses, you will notice that you can only work with reduced weights and that the advances are slower than with other exercises.
4.Land survey
During takeoff, both hips and knees work to execute the movement, causing several muscle groups to connect simultaneously as the buttocks, rear thighs, quadriceps, back, trapezius, deltoids, and core muscles.
Exercise is important for upper body muscle building while being amazing as an upper bodybuilder. So if you had to choose between the squat and ground lift for versatile strength training, the ground lift dethrones the squat.
5. Pass
Despite being known as a quad movement, the pass is also a compound glute exercise.
Research (2) shows that when we correctly perform the pass, the glutes are extensively activated in certain portions of the movement (even more than the quadriceps itself).
And when we talk about making the pass correctly, we are referring to taking sufficiently wide steps.
As a general rule, your feet should be at least on the knee line with each step.
This is not only the safest way for your knees, but it is the one that will activate your glutes the most.
Any pass variation will serve as an optimal glute exercise, as long as the movement is being done as suggested.
In this exercise, do 3 sets with 10 passes on the first leg and 10 more on the return (or 10 on each leg, depending on the variation used).
With 60 seconds of rest between sets.
Conclusion
Although these exercises are essential to muscle mass in the legs, we must integrate them intelligently into our training routines.
For those of you who are looking to increase your muscle mass, I recommend, without a doubt, the superhero training is a more than recommended method. It serves both those who exercise at home and train in the gym, having scheduled breaks and including adequate nutrition guidelines related to the objective pursued.
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